Despite undergoing surgery on his fractured hand early in the week, USC wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster played like he was 100 percent Saturday night against Arizona.

Smith-Schuster caught a 72-yard touchdown pass and had four receptions for 101 yards in the first half. This was more impressive because Smith-Schuster did not practice during the week, which casts doubts on the old adage you must practice to play well. He even caught USC’s first pass of the game.

“He is Superman,” USC interim coach Clay Helton said earlier in the week.

Smith-Schuster came out late for pre-game warmups as he got his hand wrapped and placed in a cast. Even with the broken hand, he remained the Trojans’ best player.

With Smith-Schuster playing, it made moot the question of which wide receiver would become quarterback Cody Kessler’s top target without the star sophomore. Freshmen Deontay Burnett and Jalen Greene, key figures in practices during the week, did not catch a pass in the first half.

Sarkisian flashback

Despite all the talk about new energy and physical football, the Trojans seemed eerily similar to the team that lost to Washington, at least to start Saturday’s game. Arizona took a 14-0 lead before USC got its offense going as Kessler was under duress the first quarter.

“Every game is championship game,” Helton said before the game.

USC regrouped and tied the score, 17-17, at halftime. Even that score was surprising when one considered Arizona entered the game a 20-point underdog. Washington, which upset USC earlier in the season, was a 17-point underdog.

“It’s 0-0 all over again,” Helton said at halftime with the score tied. “Establishing the run (is crucial).”

Turnover pattern

USC’s big victories this season had one thing in common: an edge in turnovers. Arizona State fumbled three times. Utah threw three interceptions.

But when the turnover battle was normal, USC found itself in tight games even against teams that were heavy underdogs.

Johnson emerging

Freshman tailback Ronald Jones finally got the most carries, at least for the first half. Johnson had eight carries for 40 yards and also caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Kessler. Tre Madden did not get a carry and fumbled a handoff that Arizona recovered.

Garrett attends game

Former USC athletic director Mike Garrett attended his first game since he was fired in 2010. Garrett was honored on the 50th anniversary of winning the Heisman Trophy.

It was not his first appearance at USC since 2010. That occurred at the Salute to Troy dinner in August but was overshadowed by Steve Sarkisian’s drunken antics.

Also at the game was former USC soccer player Amy Rodriguez, who was part of the U.S. women’s national team that won the World Cup in July.

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